


Gossamer

by vat7k



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: A Big Hug, AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Big Brother Eugene, Big Sis Rapunzel, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Fluff, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Platonic Cuddling, Team Awesome, Torture, Trauma, Unhealthy Relationships, Whump, missing your abuser, varian needs a hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28748271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vat7k/pseuds/vat7k
Summary: She sighed. “Look, I know how much it hurts to have someone you trust let you down. I mean, after you go through something like that, how can you ever trust anyone again.” She sat herself on the cot opposite of Varian’s.Varian shrugged. “I don’t know.” He peeled his face off the wall, turning to look at the blonde, “Tha-- That’s why I thought… Maybe if I could make you forget everything that happened you know, we could be friends again. Learn to trust again.” He sighed. “But I guess it doesn’t work like that.”orVarian learns to cope with his trauma while bonding with his found family. (And his dad.)
Relationships: Andrew | Hubert & Varian (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Lance Strongbow & Varian, Quirin & Varian (Disney), Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I WROTE A LOT OF WORDS 
> 
> also I did not proof read

Rapunzel stood there for a few moments in confusion. Why hadn’t her parents recognized her? Why had they sent out an order to have all the civilians work in the mines? Her father would never be so cruel to his own people. Something bigger had to be at play here.

She looked down at her fathers chest. He wore a golden medallion that bore a symbol she instantly recognized. “That... medallion it’s- it’s-”

“Saporian.” She was interrupted by an oh so familiar voice. Instantly, she turned her head towards the source of the voice only to be faced by Andrew. “Hey Raps, nice to see you again.” He smirked, knowing he was in control of the situation at hand as the rest of the Separatists of Saporia walked up behind him.

Eugene shrugged, unimpressed. “I’m gonna be completely honest, like, I remember you, but I don’t remember you. Does that make sense?”

“It’s me!” Andrew glared at the brunette. “Andrew. I nearly single-handedly felled Corona?” He said that part with a rather proud smirk tugging at his lips.

Eugene, still not impressed, stared at the man with a raised brow.

“I took you for a ride in a hot air balloon?”

“Oh! Less-attractive-than-me guy with the man-bun! Yes, I remember you now.” Eugene’s expression had slightly slipped to one more angry now.

Andrew grinned. “I’ve taken over Corona.” He walked forward at a steady pace. “Or as we now refer to it, New Saporia!” He grabbed his sword, holding it high above his head to punctuate his sentence with a sense of seriousness. 

“Long live New Saporia!” The Separatists of Saporia shouted behind him.

“I’m sorry, what?” A sarcastic smile was on Eugene’s face as he spoke. “You, man-bun guy, and your flower children took over Corona?” He chuckled. “This is only gonna take a minu-” He sputtered mid-sentence as something was thrown in his direction, covering the room in pink smoke. He coughed harshly.

“Eugene!” Rapunzel shouted frantically as she ran over to him.

Looking down at his feet, Eugene gave a puzzled grunt. His feet had been basically glued to the ground by some odd pink substance. “What the goop?” He slightly stopped his struggling to be free as Rapunzel ran to his side, wrapping an arm around his.

Andrew let out a sinister chuckle. “We didn’t do this alone.” He pointed his sword in the direction of some of the pink smoke still dissipating from the room. “You might recognize my former cellmate…”

The group held their breath as a shadowed figure slowly walked forward from the smoke until… “Welcome home, Rapunzel.” Varian gave a threatening chuckle. Well, as threatening as a sixteen-year-old can get.

Rapunzel gasped. 

“Oh, I see you’ve already met my new friends.” The boy walked over to stand in front of Andrew proudly as the man put his hand on Varian’s shoulder in an almost controlling way.

King Frederic smiled as he saw the boy. “Oh! Varian! My most trusted advisor.” Rapunzel and the others turned to look at the king in shock and pure confusion.

“Varian? Mom! Dad! Uh, don’t you remember what he’s done?” Rapunzel stopped when she heard Varian let out a slow laugh.

“No, no. They don’t.” 

“They don’t remember?”

Clementine grinned, spinning the wand in her hand around with pride.

Again, Rapunzel gasped. “That’s a Saporian Wand of Oblivium! You have erased their memories!” She was enraged at this point but more hurt than anything. She had still had faith in Varian.

“Oh, me?” Varian put his hand under his chin, feigning a laugh. “Oh-ho!” He waved his hand dismissing the princess’ idea. “No, not really. Actually, as you know, I’m all about the science, but uh, Clementine here, she added, uh, a bit of…. Texture!” He grinned as he found the word he wanted to describe what the other had done.

Clementine grinned. “Magic!”

“Yes, today the queen and king, tomorrow…” He paused. “Corona.” He drank in their shocked expressions with satisfaction. “I’m synthesizing the wand’s power into a gas that will erase the memories of everyone in Corona!” He was no longer smiling. “And, I named it Quirineon so no one will ever forget they turned their back on my father!”

Eugene was always quick with a quip. “But once the people are affected by this gas, they will forget they turned their back on your father.”

Lance shrugged and agreed. “Yup. That’s some flawed logic right there.”

“No! Y-- So? You know what I mean!” He pointed an accusatory finger in their direction, trying to shove down the slight embarrassment he felt. 

“I can’t let you get away with this!” Rapunzel took the bands out of her hair, letting it flow freely. “Let’s send these Saporians back to where they came from!” 

Shouts sounded from the room as the Saporians and Coronans fought. 

Rapunzel whipped her hair, wrapping it around the man in front of her and throwing him to the side to reveal Varian standing behind him.

Varian grinned, holding his hands in front of him. “Oh I’ve got more tricks up my sleeve.” 

“Bring it.” Rapunzel said and once again whipped her hair out, pascal on the end, jumping and narrowly avoiding the few balls of alchemical solutions that Varian threw in the princess’ direction.

Large puffs of pink smoke clouded the room and slowly disappeared again to reveal Rapunzel grunting and trying to free her hair from the goop that Eugene had been caught in earlier as well.

Varian looked at his work with a proud feeling that was cut short as Pascal, who had jumped onto Varian’s shoulder while he was distracted, Stuck his long tongue into his ear canal. “Pascal get off me!” The alchemist stumbled around in a less than graceful manner in an attempt to get the chameleon off. Eventually, the chameleon fled but not without grabbing one of the balls from the kid’s alchemy belt.

“Hey get back here with that!” With skill, he shot forward and threw one the balls in the direction of the chameleon. A small patch of slippery ice appeared under the small creature's feet and he slipped, dropping the ball. 

“Pascal!” The princess shouted in alarm as Varian grabbed the chameleon by his tail, a ball of his alchemical solution held in his other hand. A sudden noise startled him as he looked above him, seeing Maximus floating in a bubble. He must’ve been hit by one of his solutions. He dodged the falling horse as the bubble popped, rolling out of the way. He looked to his hands to see they were empty again and he was given little time to react as the large horse began chasing him. He shouted in slight shock and surprise as he ran. He turned on his heel, throwing down a green ball that made Maximus pause in sudden dizziness. 

Rapunzel, ignoring the current situation, kept tugging to free her own hair. Pascal sat on Rapunzel's shoulder, holding the yellow ball of alchemical solution and threw it on the pink goo entrapping the princess’ hair. Instantly the substance dissolved, freeing her. She grinned and looked down to her scaly companion. “Good job, Pascal!” by the time she turned around, the rest of the Saporians and Varian had cornered her friends against a wall and she ran up, spreading her arms out in front of them defensively. “Varian!” He walked forward. “Tell them to stand down!”

“Never!” He had more to say but stopped once Andrew threw a hand in front of Varian, signaling for him to stop. Varian knew better than to disobey. 

“Why would we when we have the upper hand?” Andrew smiled, holding a large bottle-like object carrying green fluid inside. He threw it forward and a large explosion with green smoke was left behind. When the smoke cleared, the wall in front of them had been destroyed, leaving an open hole. Varian walked alongside Andrew, looking out of the giant hole to the ground below them. There was only rubble and no sign of his old friends. He felt a sudden anxiety grip at his chest. He never wanted to hurt anyone, let alone his old friends. He still loved them.

Andrew laid a strong hand on Varian’s shoulder. “Powerful stuff kid.” He praised the child before walking away. The praise did little to comfort the child as it had done in the past. Before when Andrew had praised his work he felt proud and happy. This time he felt ashamed. He stared for a moment longer before turning to follow Andrew.

____________ 

Varian diligently worked on his project before him. He dragged the baster from the beaker of green liquid to the larger beaker of yellow, dropping the singular drop into it.

“How’s it coming, friend?” Andrew’s words came out in a harsh tone that slightly worried Varian. He always craved approval from Andrew, he was the only one who would give it to him.

In an attempt to regain that approval, he quickly explained his impressive process so far. “If my calculations are correct, When the Quirinion is heated,” He set the baster down as he set a flame under the beaker of yellow liquid.” It will convert into a gaseous state,” He poured half the beaker’s liquid into a long tube that dropped it slowly into another container. “And can be easily dispersed throughout the entire city, wiping the memories of everyone in Corona.” He turned to look back at the yellow liquid over the open flame that had now turned a bright green. He didn’t get time to react as the beaker exploded and he was thrown against the wall, covered in green liquid. “Evidently, my calculations were not correct.” He fell from the wall, feeling anxious once again. He held Andrew’s opinion of him above anyone else’s and he had messed up. He was going to be disappointed in him. He was going to lose the approval that he so desperately craved.

Clementine smiled from the tube she was hiding behind next to Andrew. “If it won’t erase people’s memories, perhaps the boy’s chemical may have other uses.” 

Andrew nodded agreeing and suddenly the anxiety in Varian’s chest stemmed from a different concern.

____________ 

One moment they were in Rapunzel’s room watching her cry, the next they watched her be thrown behind bars. A fitting revenge, Varian had thought.

“Varian.” The princess looked at the cold glare the boy was shooting her. Varian could feel Andrews eyes on the back of him as he stood firm. “How could you do this?”

Varian narrowed his eyes. “I want you to know I wish it didn’t come to this.” He knocked on the jail bars with a grin before returning to his scowl. “But when someone trusts you, and you betray them, well…” He stepped away from the cell, spreading his arms out. “This is what happens.”

Immediately, Rapunzel jumped to defend herself. “My kingdom needed me. I couldn’t do anything about the amber, and I had to stay.” She paused. “I never meant to break my promise to you, Varian. We were friends.” 

Varian grinned with little to no empathy. “And that’s the beauty of my plan. In the end when your memory has been erased, we can be friends again.”

The blonde princess shook her head. “But you’re only making it worse, none of these people did anything to you!”

Varian turned. “It’s not what they did to me!” He sighed. “It’s what I did to them…” Curse his stupid voice for breaking. He’s not vulnerable, he can’t be. “And there- there is no way that they will ever forgive me.” 

Rapunzel's brows furrowed. “How do you know if you don’t give them a chance?”

Varian stopped for a moment before listing off the various things h e had done on his fingers. “I took their queen prisoner, I-I threatened their princess, I helped these guys take over their kingdom! You think anyone’s going to give me a second chance?!” He turned back around to face the princess. “I don’t think so! No… making them forget is the only way to fix what I’ve done.”

Andrew moved from behind him. “Yeah, there has been a slight change of plans, buddy.” He was starting to hate that nickname. Andrew grabbed him roughly with his shoulders, pushing him back over to the group of Saporians. “Now she’s back, we don’t have time for you to get your memory formula right.” 

“We’re still using the formula you’ve curated… Quirineon explodes!” Clementine spoke in an upbeat tone. “Corona will be turned to ashes!”

Suddenly, Varian did not care for Andrew’s praise or affection anymore. Not even his approval. “But, no! No! We agreed nobody would be harmed!” He pointed a finger at Andrew.

“Relax Varian.” Varian did not relax. “You don’t want to end up on the wrong side of history.” Andre playfully elbowed Varian’s chest. “You understand, buddy?” The nickname was making Varian sick.

The boy with goggles looked at Rapunzel who returned his look with desperation and hope. Varian sighed. “You’re right.” He reached into his pocket, fingering the ball of alchemical solution and pulling it out, holding it in front of him. “So, I’m going to have to ask you to step inside that cell.”

“Are you betraying us, boy?” Clementine said as she and the other Saporians backed away. 

Varian walked forward, continuing to herd the group like sheep until they backed up against the wall. “I’m getting on the right side of history.”

Clementine smirked. “Take him out.” was all she said before Varian acted, throwing the ball in his hand causing a small puff of smoke and bubbles to float, much to Varian’s confusion. 

He chuckled, embarrassed. “Sorry guys, that was a… Yeah that was a bath bomb.”

Varian grunted as Andrew roughly shoved him into the cell. The gentleness that was there before was gone. It was clear to Varian now that Andrew had not seen him as a friend but more so as a tool to be used.

Andrew gruffly spoke. “He made his choice, let’s move.” Varian was helpless and had no choice but to watch them walk away. “We launch the airship in twenty.” 

Varian sat, slumped against the wall sitting on the cot that was connected to the wall by chains. His face squished against the wall as he felt the cold brick do little to soothe his sour mood. He listened to Rapunzel grunt as she tried to open the jail door on her own.

“All I ever wanted was for my father to be proud.” He spoke before he even thought. “Of course, if he were free from the amber now, and saw everything I’ve done… Well, he’d be ashamed.” He knew it in his heart that it was true and it twisted a knife in his heart. He felt shameful.

Rapunzel shot him a sympathetic glance. “You know, standing up to Andrew just now was pretty brave.” 

The girls' words of comfort did little to actually help the boy feel better and they sat in a slow silence.

She sighed. “Look, I know how much it hurts to have someone you trust let you down. I mean, after you go through something like that, how can you ever trust anyone again.” She sat herself on the cot opposite of Varian’s. 

Varian shrugged. “I don’t know.” He peeled his face off the wall, turning to look at the blonde, “Tha-- That’s why I thought… Maybe if I could make you forget everything that happened you know, we could be friends again. Learn to trust again.” He sighed. “But I guess it doesn’t work like that.”

Rapunzel turned to look at the boy, giving a gentle smile to which Varian shyly returned it with a small grin of his own.

They were startled out of their moment as a voice spoke and they turned. “Okay, this is very sweet. But honestly, I’m offended.” It was Eugene and Lance was standing next to him. “I can’t believe you were going to break into something and you didn’t ask me!” He joked as he turned, unlocking the cell with a key he most likely stole. He pulled the door open. “It’s kinda my thing.”

Rapunzel leaped up. “Thank goodness you’re here!” She ran over, hugging her boyfriend closely in joy.

Varian moved, trying to escape before the consequences of his actions could catch up with him. Fate decided differently apparently as he bumped into Lance. “Where do you think you’re going little man?” The large man reached out, rubbing his thumb against the bottom of Varian’s chin, wiping away the markered on goatee to which Varian whined in embarrassment, looking to the floor. 

Rapunzel leapt to his defense. “Guys, we’re going to have to trust him.” 

“After everything hair-stripe here has done, you’re going to trust him?” Eugene asked as he walked next to Varian, giving him a suspicious look. Varian cringed. That stung. So much for Team Awesome.

Rapunzel stood her ground. “Yes.” She looked to Varian who was staring at the ground with guilt. “He’s the one that made the formula that the Saporians are about to drop on Corona.” That didn’t make him feel much better. “We need him.” She put her hands on Varian’s shoulders in a gentle manner and suddenly Varian felt slightly better when Rapunzel smiled at him.

And with that, she dragged him by his hands, Lance and Eugene following close behind. They were going to save Corona.

____________ 

Varian lowered himself to his knees as did the rest of the group as they hid behind some crates, watching the Saporian’s carry large barrels (presumably filled with Quirineon) onto the ship.

Varian spoke in a hushed tone, trying not to alert the Saporian’s to their current hiding spot. “There’s enough Quirineon on that ship to destroy Corona ten times over.”

Rapunzel didn’t like the sound of that. “Is there anything you can do?”

“If you can get me on that ship, I can neutralize it.” Varian said and Rapunzel nodded.

They watched for a few more moments as Andrew directed that one of his men take the King and Queen to the outskirts of Corona so they could see the destruction of their kingdom and then to “get rid of them.” and with that the man nodded and drove off with the carriage that carried the King and Queen.

“Eugene, I need you guys to free my parents.” Rapunzel instructed and Eugene turned to Maximus and Lance, nodding. 

“You heard her boys! Let’s go.” 

Both Varian and Rapunzel turned as they heard Andrew shout, “For Saporia!” cutting the rope that grounded the ship and it slowly began floating up to the sky.

“We have got to get on that ship.” The blonde said as she and Varian looked up, eyes following the ship. Rapunzel was quick with an idea and she whipped her hair up, wrapping it around one side of the ship, but not before wrapping some of it around Varian’s waist and making sure it was secure. Carefully, she began to haul up both herself and the boy. 

Varian let out a small shout of shock as a barrel was thrown from the side of the ship. He loosened some of the hair from his waist, whipping it out to catch the barrel, tightening it securely. “Nice save!” Rapunzel said and continued hoisting them up.

“What is going on?!” They heard Andrew say in clear anger and frustration. They dropped the barrel onto the ship, jumping onto the deck

“You dropped something?” Rapunzel grinned as the Saporians turned to look at her and the boy in anger.

“You!” Andrew shouted.

“Varian!” Rapunzel turned. “Get your alchemy belt and neutralize the Coronion…?”

Varian shook his head. “I-- I-- Quirineon! Say it with me! Quirin--” He was cut off as he ducked, dodging a punch from one of Andrew’s men. He ran, trying to get to the Quirineon so he could neutralize it. The man took quick chase after him and Rapunzel quickly threw her hair around him, tripping him.

Varian stopped mid run to turn and look back only to see Andrew approaching Rapunzel, sword in hand. Quickly he threw one of his alchemy balls, and ran over to the princess. Andrew watched in confusion as the blade of his sword turned a sickly green and decayed to little pieces.

“Not bad for an alchemist, eh?” He asked with a proud grin, skillfully spinning one of the balls on his fingers. He began to dribble the ball between his legs before poorly calculated a throw and it ungracefully smacked him in the chin, causing multiple balls of alchemical solution to go flying. A few of the bubble bombs hit Pascal and then Rapunzel’s foot, causing them to float. 

“Oh! That was on me!” He shouted as he chased Pascal who was floating away in a bubble and he had almost managed to catch him when a sharp blade was shoved in his face. “Whoa!”

Clementine, who was holding the sword, smirked. “Stand down, alchemist!”

Luckily, at this point, the bubble pascal was floating in had reached the ground and he was able to control more like a hamster ball, running towards Varian and Clementine at full force. Not-so-luckily, he wasn’t able to reach them before Andrew did.

“I’ll take care of him.” Andrew violently grabbed Varian by his bandana and before Varian knew it, he was dangly over the edge of the ship. Upon instinct, Varian tightly gripped his hands around Andrew’s wrist as if it were his life line. He looked up to Andrew with pleading eyes. They had been friends, hadn’t they? He wouldn’t really kill him… “Traitors to Saporia pay with their lives.” Well that squashed his little bit of hope he had left.

Pascal abruptly turned the direction of his bubble, ramming his little body and bubble into Andrew’s foot, causing him to fall backwards onto the deck, pulling Varian along with him as more balls of alchemy went flying over. They both shouted at the sudden fall and Andrew slightly stumbled backwards until he fell over the ship’s edge.

“Andrew!” Varian shouted but then sighed in relief as one of his balls of alchemy hit Andrews head, engulfing it in a large bubble causing the man to gently float.

He had only been looking over the edge for a mere two minutes but once he turned back the Saporian’s were groaning in pain on the floor. He smiled. Leave it to the princess to clean up any mess. He ran over to Rapunzel who was holding Pascal still in his bubble. Carefully, he sprinkled some antidote onto the small reptile, causing the bubble to pop and set him free.

“Well that wasn’t so hard.” Rapunzel said in a confident tone to which Pascal dramatically fell over, exhausted.

“Oh we’re not done yet.” Varian wanted to scream. They couldn’t catch a break, could they? “Time for Corona to go boom.” Andrew said as he floated up, his head still trapped by the bubble. He raised his sword, quickly severing the rope to two of the balloons that had been holding the ship in the air, causing it to tilt as it was now only suspended by a singular balloon. 

Varian and Rapunzel held onto the side of the ship so as to not slide down and the rest of the Saporians gasped as they hit some of the alchemical solution balls causing them to float away in bubbles. 

“That single burner can not generate enough heat to keep this ship in the air.” He looked down at the ground. “If it crashes it’ll destroy all of Corona.” 

“What if we use the Quirineon?” Rapunzel supplied.

Varian shouted. “Yes, yes! Heating the Quirineon will increase the temperatures enough for the balloon to rise! We just have to get it high enough so that when it explodes it won't destroy the city.” He sighed. “You need to get off the ship. Rapunzel, I gotta clean up my own mess.”

“No.” Rapunzel said with determination. ”You do not have a shield of magic hair to protect you when this thing explodes.” She wrapped her hair around the small boy.

“What are you doing?!” Varian yelled.

“It’s your mess but it’s my kingdom.” She threw her hair out, gently letting it unravel and place the boy safely onto a nearby roof. 

Varian turned and ran towards the ship but it was useless. It was already too far away. “No! Rapunzel!”

____________ 

“No! Let go of me! I’m trying to help the princess!” Varian squirmed violently, trying to get out of the grip of the guards. He couldn’t blame them for trying to capture him; As far as they knew, he was still a wanted criminal openly roaming the streets and he probably wasn’t making his case any better by struggling. Still, he fought. He needed to be sure Rapunzel was safe.

“Likely story, kid.” The guards easily overpowered the small child, throwing him in the back of the carriage and riding off towards the palace.

The moments between the carriage to the palace halls was a blur and before he knew it he was thrown in the same cell he was in before. He shouted as the guards marched away. “Wait! Please! I just want to help!”

“Wow kid, guess you can’t do anything right.”

Varian whipped his head around, leering at the man behind him. “Andrew.”

The older man chuckled then scowled. “Varian~” He said in a sickly sweet tone. “Did ya miss me?”

Varian let out a sarcastic “Ha!” and gave the harshest glare he could to Andrew. “As if.”

“Awww, little buddy didn’t miss his precious friend?” Andrew grinned. “Oh wait… We’re not friends… that’s right… you betrayed me.”

“Betrayed you?!” Varian gave an incredulous look of anger at the man before him. “You betrayed me! We were friends! You used me and got rid of me the moment you didn’t need me anymore!”

Andrew snickered and bitterly laughed. “You honestly believe that? Varian, you constantly betray people. Didn’t you betray that one blondie? What was her name? Rapunzie… Raps…” He pretended to forget the Princess’ name, trying to get under Varian’s skin.

“Rapunzel!” Varian snapped. 

“Right, right… didn’t you attack her when you guys were supposed to be friends?” He taunted the alchemist.

“No! No it… it wasn’t--”

“Oh but it was…” Andrew stood up from his cot, placing his hands on Varian’s shoulders. “It was your fault. She trusted you. She had faith in you even after you attacked her and in turn? You erase the memories of her parents. And now? She still trusts you. How long until you betray her again?”

Varian shook his head desperately. “I’m not! I won't betray her this time! I want to help her!”

Andrew shrugged. “You seem to have a track record of these things Varian. Is that really what you want? Or do you still want your dad to be free? What if she doesn’t help you again? Will you betray your friend again?” 

Varian stood in an upset silence. 

Andrew chuckled, satisfied. “Old habits die hard, I suppose.”

____________ 

Varian wasn’t sure how long he was in the jail cell, trying to not let what Andrew said occupy his thoughts. He sat in the corner, knees to his chest and waited, and waited, and waited. Rapunzel would come for him, right?

After a few hours he was beginning to doubt the idea until, “Varian!” He looked up from his position and leaped up excitedly.

“Rapunzel!” His fingers wrapped around the cell bars and he smiled looking at the woman. “You’re here!”

“Of course I am! Once I heard the guards had gotten ahold of you, I had to get you out of here.” She unlocked the cell, allowing Varian to slip out before closing the door again, leaving Andrew alone.

Varian hugged Rapunzel to which the woman, although somewhat surprised, returned the hug in a warm and gentle manner.

Eventually the boy pulled away and sheepishly smiled. “Thanks, princess.”

Rapunzel smiled. “Of course Varian

____________ 

The next day Varian stood before the amber once again, staring at his father. He hadn’t looked at it in months and he almost felt sick at the sight even if it looked a bit different with princess’ hair wrapped around it.

Picking up on his distress, Rapunzel laid a comforting hand on Varian’s shoulder, a bucket of water in her free hand. “Once I start this incantation, I won't be able to stop it.” She moved to hold the bucket with both hands. “And it could seriously harm you and your father,” She handed the bucket to Varian. “So, I’m trusting you to snap me out of it once your father is free.”

Varian gave a trusting and soft smile. “You can trust me, Rapunzel.” 

Rapunzel returned the grin and then turned to face the giant stone of amber. “Wither and Decay end this destiny. Break these earthly chains and set the spirit free.” 

Varian watched with a slightly scared expression as he watched Rapunzel’s eyes be taken over by complete darkness and her hair turned to pitch black. He decided to turn his attention to the amber in front of him instead as the princess repeated the incantation. He gasped as he looked on, the amber melting away slowly. “It’s working…” He stepped away as some of the liquid amber began to pool at his feet. “It’s working!” He grinned, ecstatic. “Ah! Dad!” He resisted the urge to run over to his dad and stood in front of Rapunzel as she continued to sing the incantation. 

Varian threw the bucket of water onto the princess only for it to evaporate immediately. He gasped. “W-Wake up!”He put his hands on her shoulders and was going to shake her but yelped. “Ah!” He pulled back instantly only to watch his gloves melt off his hands. Physical contact was no-go. “Rapunzel, snap out of it!” He stared at her, concerned. “Rapunzel… Rapunzel?” He closed his eyes and sighed. “You didn’t give up on me… I won’t give up on you.” 

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Rapunzel gasped and her hair and eyes returned to their original state as she collapsed to her knees.

Varian moved to kneel next to her. “Are you okay?” 

Rapunzel blinked, still slightly dazed but smiled at Varian to show she was fine.

Varian hugged her quickly. He whispered, “Thank you.” before running off to greet his dad who was now free. “Dad! Dad, you’re alive!” He had never run so fast in his life. He instantly latched onto his father, hugging him and crying into his chest. The large man returned the hug, softly.

Varian pulled away wiping at the tears in his eyes, smiling at his father. 

“Oh, son.” Quirin looked at Varian with nothing but pride and happiness.

Varian was about to respond but looked down to the ground to see the note Quirin had written to him before he was encased being dissolved by the liquid amber. “Oh no! Dad, the note!” He paused and looked at his father, desperately. “Well wha- What did it say? I need to know!”

Quirin raised a gentle hand to his son’s face. “All it said was “I’m so proud of you, Varian. I always have been.”

Varian smiled, blinking back tears again and hugged his father, burrowing his head in his shoulder. “I love you dad.”

“I love you too son.”

And for a while, Varian was convinced things would be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Varian smiled slightly. “No, what I’m saying is for ordinary people like me, fear is just a little bit more… debilitating.” 
> 
> Rapunzel gently grabbed Varian’s hand. “Varian…” She grinned. “There is nothing ordinary about you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am one again writing about Varian.

Varian sat, hunched over his desk in a position that probably wasn’t doing his back pain any good. He didn’t care, however. He was too busy deciphering the scroll Rapunzel had given him, insisting it was “urgent” he decipher but to also “not push” himself. Varian, already familiar with neglecting his own needs, disregarded the second part.

“What does it mean, Demanitus… What does it mean?” He mumbled to himself, staring at the scrolls before him, squinting his eyes. His thoughts were quickly interrupted as he heard his dad’s voice desperately yell, “Varian!”

Instantly, Varian stood on his feet with such force he knocked the chair he was sitting in over and ran to the room the yelling was coming from. Throwing the door open, he was met with the terrible image of his dad being trapped in amber yet again. “Dad! No!” He ran over, placing his hands on the amber. “No, no! Not again!” He began to panic almost immediately.

“Serves you right, traitor!” He whipped his head around towards the voice. It sounded like Feldspar. When he turned around he noticed the large crowd of townspeople slowly closing in on him, shouting, “Traitor!” over and over. Varian’s breaths came out in quick panicked puffs. “D-Dad?”

“Varian!” His dad shouted once more before…

His eyes shot open, he stood up from where he was sitting. “No! Wha-?” He looked around, slightly dazed. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him outside his house. Ruddiger ran alongside him, chittering in concern, before jumping on his shoulder. 

As he stepped outside he saw his father walking by, steering a wheelbarrow of apples. “Morning, son!” 

Varian sighed a sigh of relief and turned to go back inside before Ruddiger began noisily chattering. He knew something was wrong. Placing his hand on the raccoon’s tail in comfort, he asked, “What is it buddy?” The raccoon continued chattering, leaping off  
Varian’s shoulder and bounding forward, stopping at the sight of some sharp red rocks, sniffing then in suspicion. 

Varian follower, kneeling down and eyeing the rocks carefully. “Well… This is new…”

He only studied the rocks for a mere five seconds before Ruddiger ran off in the direction of town. “Whoa! Ruddiger! Where are you going buddy?” Varian gave quick chase after the Raccoon, following him all the way to Corona. By the time he had reached town he was out of breath and had lost sight of his furry companion. “Ruddiger!” He called out, carefully searching every nook and cranny of the town. “R-Ruddiger!” He groaned then sighed in sligh frustration. 

He shouted one more “Ruddiger, where are you!?” Before he caught sight of something chattering and leaping from rooftop to rooftop. He followed, assuming it was Ruddiger. “H-Hey, buddy! Where you headed?” He ran down some stairs and made a sharp turn between some houses before bumping into Feldspar, a woman standing next to him. “Oh! Sorry. Hi!”

The man glared, unimpressed at the young child. “Don’t you have a kingdom to overthrow or something?”

Okay, ouch. The first thing Varian didn’t want to do after waking up that morning was be insulted but here he was. He chuckled nervously. “Uh, yeah…” He paused, awkwardly. “Uh, You haven’t happened to see a raccoon around, have you?”

Feldspar and the woman simply grunted, turning away from him. “Okay… uh…” He didn’t blame the townspeople for not forgiving him, really he didn’t. But that didn’t make it sting any less. “N-Nevermind.” He began walking away and was considering giving up before he heard a wooden plank fall over as the creature ran by. “Ruddiger! Hey, hey! Come back here!” He turned his head down the alleyway. “Ruddig--” He stopped mid word as he saw that what he had been chasing was not his friend, but rather a mangy cat. 

He sighed, turning around before he caught sight of the animal. There was no mistaking that ringed tail. “Hey! Buddy! I was looking for you!” He smiled as he kneeled down but frowned as the raccoon gave no reaction. “What-- What are you--?” He waved his hand in front of the raccoon’s vision. “Hello? W-What’s wrong?” He picked up the raccoon noticing he was rather… stiff. His legs had been frozen in place almost as if he had turned to ice.

Varian began to head to the palace. If anyone could help with this, it was Rapunzel. He turned a few corners before running into Rapunzel and Eugene, who was frantically staring at himself in the window in front of him.

Varian was about to speak before Rapunzel turned around, gasping in fright at the frozen Raccoon in front of her face. Varian lowered Ruddiger, revealing his face. “Sorry! Sorry. Just me.” He grinned sheepishly. “Hi. And, uh, Ruddiger… kinda?” He set the Raccoon down on a nearby barrel.

“Varian, is he okay?” Rapunzel crouched down, staring at the raccoon. “What happened?”

“Uh… I’m not quite sure, but I think it has something to do with those new rocks.” He paused. “I mean, I’ve only been able to study them for a few hours, but their effects appear to be extremely dangerous.”

“Oh yeah? More dangerous than bringing people's greatest fears to life?!” Eugene shouted.

Varian nodded. “Yes, well, if people remain under that fear spell for too long, it looks like they’ll become frozen with terror.” He picked up the raccoon. “Permanently.” 

With a determined smile, Rapunzel put her hands on her hips and spoke. “Well, gang, then it sounds to me like we need to find a way to turn these fearful frowns upside down!” She reached out, turning the frown on the frozen furry creature upside down, leaving him with an odd looking smile. “Okay, yep. Sorry. That just wound up making him look creepier.”

_____________

Varian glanced over at the princess and her boyfriend as they discussed the sign she had painted to keep people away from the rocks. He looked away, thinking for a few more moments before finally speaking up. “Guys, I think I might have an idea.”

He ushered the two to follow him into a palace so he could set out his plans on the map. He taped the small underground map he made to the side of the table that had a small model of Corona on it. “Now, theoretically, if we sever this chain of rocks,” He circled a specific area of the rocks with his black marker. “Using one of my alchemical solutions, then we can cut off the red rock’s fear power.” 

Rapunzel gave a determined grin to Varian and then Pascal who was on her shoulder. “Oh, we can so cut off their power.”

Varian chuckled at the princess’ eagerness. “We just need a cavern that will run deep enough.”

Rapunzel and Varian stood up from their crouching position, Eugene holding Ruddiger as he was already standing. “Deep cavern…” Rapunzel thought for a moment, then gasped in realization. “I know just the place!”

They heard a scream and looked outside the room. One of the handmaidens was running through the halls, yelling until she ran into one of the stones and finally froze just like Ruddiger had. Concerned, Rapunzel ran over and reached a hand up to touch the woman’s shoulder. “Oh no… It’s getting worse. We can’t let this happen to anyone else. Your plan starts now.”

_____________

Varian wasn’t exactly thrilled to find himself traveling the underground tunnels of the palace again, but there was no choice. Unlike last time, Varian really did want to save Corona and if this was the only way then he’d be damned if he didn’t do it.

“No problem. We got this… No problem…” He chuckled nervously, focusing his eyes on a fly that was buzzing close by much to his displeasure. The buzzing right next to his ear did little to ease his stress.

Rapunzel turned, book in hand. “You okay, Varian? Because you’ve said, “No problem, we’ve got this” twenty three times now.” She flipped her book around, showing Varian. One side had a drawing of the striped-hair boy looking a bit afraid, the other page having tally marks. “Look. I’m actually keeping track. Heh.” She chuckled slightly.

Varian laughed lightly. “That’s… I’m fine, really.” He pushed the book away, turning with a confident smile and began walking forward again. This time he frowned before he spoke, “Uh, you know, just trying not to set off the three thousand traps down here!”

Rapunzel giggled. “Relax.” She spoke in a calm tone, not noticing the fact that, from her shoulder, Pascal stuck his tongue out and grabbed a fly off a nearby wall lamp. “We’ve been through these tunnels too many times for that to--” She stopped as she heard what sounded like old gears twisting and turning. 

Suddenly the floor gave way beneath the two’s feet, sliding open like a trap door. Rapunzel quickly jumped to safety while Varian desperately scrambled from the slanted floor to find some kind of purchase and pull himself up before the door opened completely. Some of the vials from his bag fell into the deep abyss below. “My supplies!” He shouted as he watched them bounce off the red rocks below. “Oh!” He shouted as the little surface he had to sit on gave way. He panicked as he felt himself begin to fall, looking up desperately for help from Rapunzel. 

In an instant, Rapunzel threw her hair down hoping to use it almost as a rope. She saw Varian grab on tightly and she began dragging her hair up until Varian was back on safe ground.

Out of breath and still in shock, Varian whispered, “Oh, thank you!”

“Oh, are you okay?” Rapunzel said in genuine concern.

Varian instantly pulled his bag off, digging around in it and brushing off her concern with an, “I’m fine.” He sighed as he looked inside. He pulled out the only vial of the alchemical solution left. “Oh, but we’ve only got one vial of my solution left.”

The blonde woman gave Varian a comforting smile. “Well then… I guess we’ll just have to make it count!”

_____________

“Not much further, we’re almost there, Varian.” The princess reassured him as they continued walking forward. “Have that solution of yours ready.” She stopped walking once she noticed Varian had stopped, staring at his vial in hands with a worried look. “Varian, whatever the red rocks are showing you, They’re just visions. They’re not real.” She placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

Varian sighed. “But they are…” He almost whispered. “Do you know what this is?” He held up the vial of his solution, showing Rapunzel.

“It’s what’s gonna help us sever the red rock’s power.”

“Yes, but it’s also the same compound that encased my father.” He looked down sadly. “You know, the red rocks makes everyone else see hallucinations, but what I see is something that really happened.” He stared at his reflection in the glass of the vial. “That stuff ruined my life…” He felt more disgusted in himself the longer he looked at his reflection but he still couldn’t look away. “Because of this, I did-- I did terrible--” He froze mid sentence as the vial slipped from his hands and he failed to catch it. He gasped, closing his eyes and prepared for the shattering of the vial… but it never came. He opened his eyes again to see Pascal's tongue wrapped around it and he pulled it back up, placing it into Rapunzel’s hands.

Rapunzel grabbed the vial gently, smiling at the small reptile on her shoulder. “Nice snag, buddy!”

Varian grabbed the vial. “If that had smashed, Corona would’ve been done for, and everyone would hate me, even more than they do now.” He paused. “Not that I blame them…” He sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. He felt so tired and drained.

Rapunzel flashed him her signature grin and placed her hand on his arm. “Varian, you can’t be so hard on yourself. “

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re the embodiment of the sundrop. The wondrous magical sundrop!”

Rapunzel chuckled. The old Varian would never use the word magic to describe something. “Ah, you hear that, Pascal? He called me wondrous and magical.” Pascal held his hands up and gave Varian a look as if to say “How sweet.”

Varian smiled slightly. “No, what I’m saying is for ordinary people like me, fear is just a little bit more… debilitating.” 

Rapunzel gently grabbed Varian’s hand. “Varian…” She grinned. “There is nothing ordinary about you.” 

The boy smiled as the princess pulled him along to their destination.

_____________

Varian looked around anxiously, his eyes darting back and forth between the floor and ceiling. He slightly flinched as there was a small rumbling and rocks fell from the ceiling. “Rapunzel… We have gotta hurry.” He chuckled anxiously. “How far is it?”

Rapunzel looked at Varian as she kept walking, entering a small door frame-like hole. “Uh, we’re here.” She paused for a moment. “You want a big underground chamber? I give you the Demanitus chamber.” Before them stood a tall structure. It was the Demanitus device that Rapunzel had been to before when she was helping her kingdom during the blizzard, though, it looked different now with the giant red rocks jutting out of it.

Varian looked up in awe. “Whoa. It-- It’s amazing.”

“You should have seen it before all these red rocks.” 

Varian gave a confused look and stared at Rapunzel. “Y-You’ve actually s-seen this before?”

Rapunzel laughed. “You could say that…”

Varian grinned largely. “Man, I would have loved to meet Demanitus.” The geeky side of his love for alchemy took over.

“I did. Nice guy.” She paused to drink in Varian’s expression of shock and giggled. “He was a monkey.” Varian raised a brow. “Uh, long story.” She said as she walked down the staircase, Varian tagging along close behind.

“Oh! There’s the base! Encasing it in amber should stop the fear from--” He leaped down the last step and shouted as more rocks grew into the Demanitus device, causing the ground to shake.

The princess gently pushed against Varian’s back. “Okay, less explaining, more pouring.” She wrapped her hair around his waist, acting as a safety harness as the boy leaned over the edge, preparing to pour his solution onto the rocks.

“Varian!” He looked up to see his dad being encased in amber again. He sighed, blinking hard and trying to remind himself it’s not real. He reached forward, emptying the vial of its contents onto the red rocks. Rapunzel quickly pulled the boy back and the both stepped away from the rocks, preparing for the solution to do it’s work.

But nothing happened.

“What?! Gah! I don’t understand!” He frustratedly walked forward again. “The solution should encase the red rocks…” He stopped and gave a frustrated groan as he realized his mistake. “Oh, of course! Oh, So dumb, Varian!” He beat himself up over his own mistake but really, he should have known better. “Whatever turned those rocks red must’ve changed their internal chemistry!”

“So… The solution only works on black rocks?” The princess tilted her head

“Yes.” He tapped the glass of the vial. “Well, what’s left of it.” He looked around at the Demanitus device. “But I… I don’t even see any black rocks.”

“I do.” Rapunzel pointed up and Varian squinted until his eyes caught sight of a singular black rock poking out of one of the red rocks. It was high up. Very high up.

“Okay, this just got a lot harder…” He chuckled in disbelief. “You’re telling me I gotta climb all the way up there?” He laughed a second time, nervously. “Nobody in there right mind would--”

“Race you to the top!” Rapunzel whizzed past him, climbing the tower and rocks.

“Oh, come on.”

_____________

They had gotten a decent way up the tower and were only facing minor difficulties. And by minor difficulties, Varian meant major difficulties.

“Ah!” He shouted as he almost lost his grip as a rumble shook the area again. 

“Whoa! Watch out!” Rapunzel shouted words of warning to the boy below her as a few rocks began to fall from the ceiling.

“Wah!” Varian shouted in surprise as one of the rocks hit him square in the face, losing his grip and falling for the second time that day.

“Varian!” Rapunzel leaped forward, throwing her hair out for Varian to grab and then looped her hair around one of the lever-like objects sticking out of the tower, almost like a weighing scale.

She pulled until her and Varian were adjacent to each other. “It’s no use, Rapunzel! I can’t do this!”

“Varian, you can not let fear ruin your life.” She shot a serious look at the alchemist. “Look, I’m scared too.”

“I know you say that princess, but you don’t see what I see.” He looked down, seeing a vision of his father calling out to him for his help.

Rapunzel nodded. “That’s true. I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I’m not seeing… other things.” She sighed. “I see Corona, covered in black rocks. And I see Cassandra. She’s conquered the kingdom, destroyed it forever.” She stopped as she envisioned it. “And you know what the weird part is?” Varian shook his head. “What I’m most afraid of is losing Cassandra as a friend…”

Varian swung over to her, tapping her shoulder. “I had no idea…”

“I guess we both have trouble talking about what scares us.” She and Varian chuckled but stopped once the tower began rumbling again.

“I’ll do it.” Varian said with more confidence this time. “Just uh, give me a lift.”

“One lift coming up!” She pulled her hair so Varian went up further and she dropped down lower until her hair fell off the lever-like object sending Varian flying to the higher platform as she landed on the platform below. “Hurry, Varian!” She said as the rocks began to grow, nearly pushing her off of where she was standing. She pushed against the rocks and gasped as her arms began to turn red. “Uh, Varian?”

He climbed the rocks, but stopped midway, clenching his eyes shut as he saw something he couldn’t face. “It- It’s not real… I can do this.” He pushed on despite his hands beginning to turn red. His body was becoming stiffer by the moment but he still pushed through. “Augh! Come on!” He almost dropped the last drip onto the black rock until. “Ah! No! The vial!” It slipped out of his hand and he desperately reached to get it, narrowly catching it with his foot. He balanced it carefully on his foot, ignoring the illusions of desperate cries from his father and something else nagging at the back of his mind. Another voice. He watched as the drop almost fell out of the vial. “No, no, no! Don’t!” Elegantly, he kicked up the vial once, then twice with his foot until it was back in the grip of his hand. “Got ya!” He leaned over, desperately trying to reach the black rock before it was encased in the same red color the other rocks were. “Fight the fear, fight it!” He struggled to even tilt the vial now. “Come on! Come on!” he tilted more and more until finally a drop splashed onto the black rocks and sure enough, amber began to encase and grow from the black rock. 

“It’s working!” Varian shouted with glee as his body regained its usual flexible form. He leaped onto the ground as did Rapunzel. The moment they touched the ground, Rapunzel engulfed the boy in an excited hug.

“Oh! You tackled your fears, Varian!” She pulled away. “I knew you had it in you!”

Varian, very proud, smiled softly.

_____________

It had only been a day or two after the red rocks incident and Varian found himself in the palace again, helping Rapunzel with miscellaneous tasks. Now, they were taking a lunch break, eating ham sandwiches (suggested by Varian) on her bed. They had been chattering away and somehow came back to the topic of the red rocks.

“Rapunzel, did I ever tell you what I saw from those red rocks…?”

Rapunzel tilted her head. “Wasn’t it your father?”

Varian nodded. “Well yeah, yeah, that! But…” He sat his sandwich down. “There was… something else…”

Rapunzel looked at him with concern. “What else?” There was a long silence and she tacked on “You don’t have to tell me.” to the end of her sentence. 

“I want to…” He sighed. “Is it… is it wrong to miss someone who was terrible to me?”

“Varian, what do you mean?”

“Andrew.” He looked down, shamefully. “I miss Adrew… And… those rocks.. They kept playing the memory of him abandoning me over and over again.” Varian sighed. “And I still miss him…” He rubbed his arms nervously as he continued to ramble. “He was so terrible to me. He took advantage of my need for love and praise and then dropped me the moment he didn’t need me anymore. He even tried to kill me when I got in his way!”

Rapunzel sat in a moment of silence and nodded. “You know… I still miss mother Gothel sometimes…”

“But… she was awful to you…?” Varian looked at her sadly.

She nodded and gave an upset look. “Yes… she was… but she was also my only mother figure. She cared for me for years and I trusted her. Even if she was horrible to me, I miss the nice moments we had together… I really do miss her.” She gave Varian an understanding smile. “It’s normal to miss someone who abused you, Varian.” 

“Abused?” Varian tilted his head slightly? “I-I don’t know if I’d say… I think that’s a bit of an overreaction.”

“Varian, don’t ever doubt the pain you’ve gone through.” She rubbed Varian’s shoulder comfortingly. “He used things against you to cause you mental distress or to manipulate you and lure you into a false sense of security.”

He sat, quietly staring at his hands. “Thanks, Rapunzel… You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“You can always share your thoughts with me if you need to.” She grinned and then tightly embraced the boy.

Varian slowly hugged back and he could’ve sworn there were tears in his eyes. They sat there for a moment in the tight hug before they pulled away.

“Hey, there’s still time before you have to go home, you wanna do some painting?” The blonde stared at him, a kind smile on her face.

Varian chuckled. “I’d like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> YES THERE WILL BE MORE This is just the basic set up :) I wanted to put more emphasis on Andrew and Varian's friendship and how it's unhealthy (at least in this fic lol)


End file.
